A    LECTURE 


GAMMA  Hu  LIITE^A^Y  SOCIETY 


OF    YALE    COLLEGE, 


Ni-:\v     il.vvK.x.    CONX.,    OrroiiKi;    .'!. 


IJKRBKRT    C.    TOLM  A 


N  E  \V    II  A  V  ]•:  IS"   : 

D.   F.  WISER  &  CO.,  PRINTERS,   721  CHAFF  [",  COR.  U  t 


UCSB   LIBRARY 


A    LECTURE 


UPON    THE 


REGAL  PERIOD  IN  ROMAN  HISTORY. 


HKFOUK    THE 


GAMMA  Hu  LHJIIEI^AI^Y  SOCIETY 

OF    YALE    COLLEGE, 
XKW    II  AVION,    CONN.,    OCTOBER    3,    1885. 


HERBERT    0.    TOLMAN, 

CLASS  OK  '88. 


NEW    HAVEN: 

D.   F.  WISER  &  CO.,    PRINTERS,  721  CHAPEL  STREET,  COR.   UNION. 

1885 


LECTURE. 


"MORIBUS    ANTIQUIS    STAT    RES    RoMANA    VIRISQUE."       dc.    De 

Rep.  v.  1. 

With  what  profound  respect,  admiration  and  sadness  do  we 
gaze  upon  the  ruins  of  an  ancient  city!  A  respect,  which  an- 
tiquity may  justly  demand  from  our  own  age;  an  admiration, 
when  we  consider  what  a  part  it  once  lias  held  in  the  world's  his- 
tory, as  \ve  reflect  upon  the  noble  deeds  of  its  heroes  and  the 
lives  of  its  statesmen,  and  when  we  read  the  burning  and  im- 
passioned  words  of  its  orators,  as  their  hearts  were  filled  with 
desire  for  their  country's  advancement ;  but  a  sadness,  when 
we  think  how  its  empire  once  so  strong  and  dominion  once 
so  mighty  have  ceased  to  be,  while-  its  glory  arid  fame  live 
only  through  the  pen  of  the  historian,  and  its  former  grandeur 
and  magnificence  alone  remain  in  sad  relics  of  holy  temples 
and  ruins  of  grand  old  palaces,  once  the  seat  of  pride  and  ar- 
rogance. With  what  delight  do  we  dwell  upon  its  history, 
and  turn  our  minds  to  the  study  of  its  ancient  customs  and 
antiquities!  What  a  pleasure  is  ours,  as  we  stand  at  this  ad- 
vanced age,  to  look  back  and  to  survey  the  progress  of  the 
world  through  the  centuries  which  are  past! 

An  allusion  to  Babylon,  so  renowned  in  sacred  literature,  as 
she  sat  in  her  might,  the  head  of  the  great  eastern  empire ,  the 
mention  of  Tyre,  once  the  rich  metropolis  of  the  Phrenicians, 
the  name  of  Troy,  whose  tragic  end  so  inspired  the  song  of  the 
Epic  poets,  as  it  fell  before  the  invading  armies  of  Hellas,  alike 
awaken  feelings  which  only  the  story  of  a  nation's  growth,  a 
nation's  glory  and  power,  and  a  nation's  fall  can  excite.  But 
with  what  peculiar  interest  do  we  love  to  consider  the  history 
of  Koine,  witli  what  delight  to  reflect  upon  the  former  greatness 


and  majest}r  of  its  dominion,  and  with  what  a  sense  of  awe  and 
reverence  to  gaxe  upon  its  colossal  edifices,  while  we  attempt  to 
picture  to  ourselves  its  splendor  and  magnificence  during  the 
declining  days  of  the  republic ! 

And  why  should  we  not  be  bound  to  Rome  by  an  almost  in- 
separable tie '(  Let  us  look  for  a  moment  over  our  own  country 
and  see  for  ourselves  the  great  indebtedness  which  we  owe  to 
Roman  power,  architecture,  law  and  language.  Behold  our 
churches  and  then  go  back  and  see  their  model  in  tin-  P.asilica, 
the  hall  of  justice.  Study  the  excellence  of  Roman  law  and  c»  >m- 
preheiid  how  it  is  the  very  basis  and  foundation  of  our  own  civil 
codes.  Consider  to  what  an  extent  the  language  of  Latin  in  as  the 
dialect  of  the  people,  far  different  from  the  pure  style  of  the 
classic  writers,  has  spread  over  the  whole,  continent  and  through 
the  lapse  of  centuries  gradually  framed  the  language  of  Italy, 
Spain,  France  and  Portugal,  hence  giving  to  their  speech  the 
name  of  Romance  languages.  Think  what  a  transmitting 
power  it  has 'been  to  erudition,  how  its  literature  has  been  and 
still  is  fostered  in  the  schools  and  universities  of  the  world, 
and  how  for  ages  it  has  been  the  language  of  the'Christian 
church.  Rome  then  has  committed  to  us  a  legacy,  greater  in 
some  respects  than  the  benefits  of  literature,  learning,  art  and 
science,  which  have  been  the  dowry  of  Greece  to  the  present 
age,  and  of  far  more  value  to  the  public  good  than  the  adorn- 
ment of  our  buildings  with  Corinthian  columns  or  the  study  of 
her  statues  and  grand  old  paintings. 

How  far  unlike  its  rival  in  the  classic  world  is  the  city  of 
our  consideration ! 

Athens,  the  pride  of  the  scholar,  the  immortal  city  of  liter- 
ary fame,  the  genius  of  the  ancient  world,  lives,  not  in  her  for- 
mer power,  not  in  the  glory  of  military  achievement,  but  f oi- 
lier philosophers,  sages,  poets  and  orators,  for  her  refinement 
and  culture,  for  her  ancient  customs  and  religious  devotion. 
But  the  splendor  of  Rome  is  her  former  dominion,  her  an- 
cient empire,  her  remarkable  history  and  her  brilliant  career. 


What  a  deep  interest  does  the  recital  of  her  advancement  in- 
spire in  the  mind  of  its  reader,  from  the  very  moment  he  is 
ushered  into  her  history  with  her  fabled  beginning,  to  when 
with  stronger  emotions  he  reads  the  thrilling  and  startling 
deeds  of  the  emperors ! 

As  we  are  about  to  consider  the  history  of  Rome  in  its  ear- 
liest period,  would  it  not  be  well  to  ask  ourselves,  before  we 
proceed  farther,  why  that  city  alone  was  destined  to  its  high 
place  in  the  annals  of  the  globe  as  the  head  of  nations  and  mis- 
tress of  the  world,  to  explain  the  cause  of  its  greatness  and 
why  success  so  often  followed  the  Roman  eagles?  Why  did 
not  Xaples,  Tarentum  or  Veii  become  the  center  of  an  em- 
pire as  well  as  Rome?  Is  it  because  the  race  possessed 
such  remarkable  excellence  over  the  neighboring  tribes?  Is 
it  that  the  site  of  the  city  was  far  more  advantageous  for  com- 
mercial interests  and  the  pursuit  of  agriculture? 

To  these  questions  we  shall  give  a  negative  answer,  while 
we  are  obliged  to  admit  that  the  blood  of  the  Roman  has  no 
superiority  over  that  of  his  neighbor  the  Etruscan  or  Samnite. 
The  story  which  the  poets  delighted  to  sing,  of  how  the  impe- 
rial city,  guided  and  destined  by  fate,  sprang  from  the  scanty 
survivors  of  the  flames  of  Troy,  has  long  since  showed  absurd- 
ity to  the  most  credulous.  Again  the  location  of  Rome  was 
a  special  detriment  to  a  nation's  growth,  in  the  fact  that 
its  harbor  was  of  no  great  value,  its  climate  unhealthy  and  its 
soil  not  noted  for  its  great  fertility. 

Although  these  may  be  arguments  in  favor  of  our  negative 
answer,  yet  in  some  degree  does  the  city  owe  its  power  to  these 
seeming  hindrances  in  its  progress.  That  it  possessed  a  sea-port 
of  no  excellence  prevented  the  frequent  incursions  and  attacks  of 
pirates  which  were,  so  often  fatal  to  cities  in  their  infancy. 
It  can  l>e  possible  again  that  the  unhealthy  climate  of  the  re- 
gion served  as  a  check  against  foreign  invasion.  Furthermore, 
sterility  of  soil  only  induces  a  nation  to  spread  its  teritory  and 
seek  booty  from  other  tribes.  With  these  two  questions  in 


6 

consideration  let  us  turn  our  thoughts  to  another  which  may 
justly  claim  our  attention. 

Does  Rome  owe  its  might  to  men  of  talent  or  genius?  This 
is  needless  for  us  to  answer;  I  only  ask  that  we  place  the  fabu- 
lous names  of  Numa  Pompilius  and  Servius  Tullins  side  by  side 
with  such  personages  as  Solon,  Pericles  and  Alexander  and 
men  of  a  later  day  as  Charlemagne,  Frederick  and  Bonaparte, 
and  our  answer  is  determined.  No,  Rome's  advancement  is 
due  not  to  its  men  of  genius,  of  intellect  and  foresight.  The 
time  of  its  statesmen,  the  days  of  Caesar,  Cicero  and  Sulla,  mark 
the  decay  of  the  republic. 

At  what  conclusion  then  shall  we  at  last  arrive,  or  shall 
we  finally  be  obliged  to  say  with  reverence  that  it  was  the 
will  of  an  ever  ruling  Providence  that  Rome  should  rise  and 
fill  the  part  she  held  in  the  world's  history,  while  the  reason 
of  her  advancement  must  be  forever  veiled  in  mystery? 

If  we  look  again  at  the  geographical  situation  of  Latium.  we 
can  consider  the  nearness  of  the  seven  hills  an  important  fac- 
tor in  the  city's  growth;  for,  dwelling  in  such  proximity  to  the 
settlements  established  so  bordering  upon  their  own,  they 
naturally  felt  the  need  of  an  alliance  and  mutual  protection  in 
time  of  war.  Rome  then  gradually,  after  forming  this  confed- 
eracy and  gaining  sway  over  this  immediate  vicinity,  began  to 
reach  out  over  the  whole  of  Italy  and  embrace,  as  associates 
and  allies,  the  people  who  did  not  at  first  feel  the  dependence 
and  subjection  which  was  afterward  imposed  upon  them. 

Resting  content  with  this  cause  alone  as  the  predominant 
and  principal  reason  to  which  the  city  owes  its  long  continued 
power  and  prosperity,  let  us  now  study  its  history  in  this  early 
period,  and  collect  by  the  few  authentic  records  that  are  ours 
some  facts  in  the  story  of  its  infancy. 

It  is  well  known  what  implicit  faith  ancient  writers  and  his- 
torians had  in  the  fabulous  stories  of  Rome's  early  history, 
with  what  definite  exactness  they  were  wont  to  relate  the  facts 
in  the  reign  of  Xmna  or  Servius,  and  with  what  certainty  was 


it  their  custom  to  fix  the  very  date  of  the  foundation  of  the 
city  on  the  21st  day  of  April,  753  B.  c.  Although  they  were 
often  startled  and  perplexed  when  some  miracle  of  that  early  age 
came  to  their  consideration,  yet  they  looked  upon  it  merely  as 
the  purpose  of  giving  life  and  animation  to  the  narrative  and 
making  the  first  pages  in  the  annals  of  Rome  furnish  a  far 
greater  charm  to  their  reader.  In  such  delusion  and  childlike 
simplicity  did  the  early  history  of  the  city  hold  both  the  an- 
cient and  modern  world.  It  was  the  pleasure  of  Milton  and 
Bacon,  as  well  as  the  delight  of  Vergil  and  Cicero,  to  foster  the 
incredible  accounts  of  Rome's  infancy  as  a  sacred  legacy,  trans- 
mitted to  their  own  age,  in  which  was  recorded  with  compar- 
ative exactness  the  story  of  a  nation's  early  struggles. 

Although,  when  the  advancement  of  learning  in  the  15th 
century  swept  over  the  continent  of  Europe,  scholars  began  to 
look  with  less  credence  upon  these  primitive  accounts,  it 
was  not  however  until  the  dawn  of  our  own  century,  when 
Niebuhr  published  his  work  so  full  of  skepticism  in  regard  to 
these  facts  heretofore  almost  universally  believed,  which  pub- 
lication was  immediately  followed  by  others  of  eminent  literary 
men  of  the  time,  that  the  strong  faith  and  belief  in  these  old 
traditions  which  for  so  long  had  enjoyed  a  place  in  the  annals 
of  history  as  authentic  records,  was  gradually  swept  away. 

To  Is  iebuhr  then  do  we  owe  the  privilege,  which  is  ours,  of 
looking  upon  this  early  period,  not  with  a  view  to  the  study 
of  its  story  as  a  matter  of  historical  importance,  but  to  consider 
the  absurdity  of  its  accounts  and  to  ask  why  such  fables  orig- 
inated. The  first  one  of  these  considerations,  namely  the  ab- 
surdity of  its  details,  we  will  discuss  as  follows : 

Roman  history  can  be  well  divided  into  three  distinct  stages. 
The  first  period  can  be  marked  as  extending  from  the  founda- 
tion of  the  city  in  753  B.  c.  up  to  390  B.  c.,  at  which  time 
monuments  commemorating  important  national  events,  were 
destroyed.  Furthermore,  important  laws  engraved  on.  brazen 
tablets  with  the  exception  of  the  twelve  tables,  and 


annals  kept  by  the  Pontiff  show  no  certainty  of  extending  back 
beyond  this  date.  Therefore  it  is  left  for  us  to  conjecture 
that  tliis  first  stage  of  Roman  history  is  one  entirely  based  on 
tradition,  and  in  this  light  we  will  consider  it. 

The  second  epoch  in  history  of  the  city  is  embraced  by  the 
vears  .')'.»( i  and  ^*t>  n.  r.  from  which  latter  date  the  third  period, 
which  is  tlie  era  of  contemporaneous  history,  begins.  To  this 
last  stage  we  can  give  the  name  of  authentic  history,  while  the 
period  before  can  be  relied  upon  only  in  leading  tacts,  as  im- 
portant events  of  their  warfare  and  struggles  and  the  glory  of 
their  personal  exploits  were  transmitted  from  fathers  to  sons. 
and  therefore  subject  to  national  and  personal  pride.  When 
we  go  back  beyond  this  point  into  the  first  period  which  claim- 
ed our  attention,  even  tradition  itself  has  been  clouded  during 
the  lapse  of  centuries  and  the  early  history  of  the  nation  inter- 
mingled and  confused  with  that  of  other  countries. 

Shall  we  ask  ourselves  the  question,  did  kingship  ever  exist 
at  Rome?  Various  things  served  to  corroborate  this  fact;  the 
existence  of  some  important  offices  as  the  iuterrex,  the  king 
and  queen  of  sacrifices,  the  law  against  any  person  aspiring  to 
sovereignty,  and  various  objects  in  the  vicinity  of  Rome  as  the 
Ruminal  fig  tree  and  hut  of  Romulus.  These  facts  are  the  onlv 
arguments  outside  of  vague  tradition  which  go  to  establish  the 
theory  that  sovereign  power  at  one  time  existed  in  the  ancient 
city.  What  folly  and  delusion  therefore  to  write  out  a  lengthv 
history  of  the  regal  power  in  Rome,  to  tell  of  its  invasions  and 
foreign  wars,  and  to  try  to  determine  the  very  day  of  its 
founding. 

Many  facts  of  historical  importance  may  perhaps  be  found 
in  the  poetic  stories  of  early  Rome,  yet  to  show  the  absurditv 
with  greater  force,  let  us  imagine  the  history  of  its  beginning 
as  related  by  Livy  genuine  and  true. 

The  reign  of  Xuma.  you  remember,  was  one  of  perpetual 
peace.  .Could  the  Romans  and  their  neighbors  live  on  such 
amicable  terms  when  the  preceding  reMgn  of  Romulus  and  the 


9 

advent  of  Servius  were  periods  of  uninterrupted  warfare?  Is 
not  that  as  difficult  to  credit  as  the  fictitious  founding  of  the 
city  or  the  ascent  of  Romulus  into  heaven?  Again,  the  season 
of  kingly  power  occupied  240  years,  leaving  to  each  king  then 
the  average  age  of  34  years.  Does  this  seem  really  comprehen- 
sible when  we  consider  that  only  three  of  the  seven  escaped 
deatli  by  violence?  Is  it  consistent  to  narrate  how  Tarquin,  at 
the  age  of  eighty,  left  children  young  and  tender,  while  accord- 
ing to  another  account  they  were  married  with  those  of  Servius 
his  successor,  since  in  the  former  case  the  second  Tarquin  had 
reached  the  age  of  fifty  years  and  in  the  latter  seventy,  when 
he  is  represented  as  dragging  the  aged  king  from  the  senate- 
house  with  all  the  vigour  and  passion  of  youth?  These  legends 
sound  well  as  they  are  sung  and  recited  by  the  poets,  but  they 
cannot  escape  the  keen  and  searching  investigation  of  the  his- 
torian. 

Many  other  such  absurdities  can  be  clearly  shown  and 
brought  to  lightjshonld  we  dwell  longer  on  this  subject; 
but  let  us  now  turn  our  thoughts  to  the  consideration  of  the 
second  question,  from  what  cause  did  fabulous  history  origi- 
nate. Is  it  strange  that  from  the  point  where  authentic  records 
stop  and  where  history  is  merged  into  tradition,  Roman  as  well 
as  Greek  should  frame  and  invent  stories  to  explain  the  cause 
of  certain  existing  customs  and  remarkable  facts?  Is  it  a 
greater  marvel  that  the  cunning  and  fertile  mind  of  the  Athe- 
nian, as  it  busied  itself  fashioning  a  mythology  from  the  won- 
ders of  nature  as  it  spread  out  before  him,  should  in  a  like  de- 
gree employ  this  same  ingenious  power  in  explaining  the  rea- 
son of  great  events  in  his  own  national  history?  Although  the 
mind  of  the  Roman  was  far  too  incompreheusive  and  his  im- 
a«ination  far  too  slow  for  the  invention  of  fabulous  stories  at 

r"> 

that  early  age,  yet  by  foreign  help  and  national  simplicity 
Rome's  regal  history  has  been  moulded  into  its  present  shape. 

For  what  would  be  more  natural  than,  when  Rome  kept  ac- 
quiring territory  after  territory  and  success  so  often  followed 


the  Roman  legions,  and  since  the  glory  of  the  nation  was  her 
mightiness  in  war,  that  the  poets  and  relaters  of  legends  should 
attrihute  to  tin-  founder  of  their  city  the  descent  from  tin-  war 
god  Mars?  This  story  bears  too  much  the  vivid  coloring  of 
the  Greek  imagination  to  escape  our  observation,  and  similar 
allusions  to  exposed  children  occur  in  the  history  of  the  East, 
as  the  myth  concerning  Cyrus  exemplifies.  Again,  if  we  con- 
sider the  name  of  Servius,  we  shall  see  how  the  story  of  his 
miraculous  birth  from  a  virgin  slave  found  credence.  As  the 
Roman  nomen  marks  the  person's  gens  or  house, 'this  fable  was 
doubtless  invented  to  explain  the  simple  existence  of  this  epi- 
thet as  derived  from  the  Latin  word  for  slave.  So  the  popular 
name  of  Scaevola,  meaning  literally  left  handed,  was  compel- 
led to  coin  another  story,  of  how  the  old  hero  Mucius  in  the 
war  with  Porsenna  held  his  right  hand  over  the  tire  until  it 
was  reduced  to  ashes,  thus  by  his  fortitude  showing  the  bra  verv 
of  the  Roman  spirit  and  transmitting  this  name  to  poster! tv. 

These  then  are  a  few  of  the  aetiological  myths  invented  to 
explain  the  cause  of  some  existing  circumstances. 

We  can  not  regard  the  history  of  the  regal  period  complete 
even  with  the  meagre  explanation  which  we  have  now  enjoyed, 
unless  we  direct  our  thoughts  to  an  inquiry  in  regard  to  the 
genesis  of  Roman  religion.  As  we  discuss  this  in  a  brief  wav, 
it  will  be  for  our  advantage  to  turn  our  attention  to  a  like  devel- 
opment in  our  own  savage  tribes.  In  connection  with  this  refer- 
ence let  me  relate  an  incident  of  every  day  occurence  in  the 
hut  of  the  Indian. 

The  great  warrior  after  a  day  of  conflict  and  toil  enters  his 
wigwam,  throws  himself  before  his  warm  fire,  and  in  a  lew 
moments  is  dreaming  of  the  chase  or  hunt.  As  he  awakes 
from  his  sleep,  he  finds  himself  still  in  the  same  position, 
though  he  feels  confident  that  he  has  been  pursuing  the  boar 
and  roaming  the  fields  with  his  savage  companions.  To  his 
clouded  and  bewildered  mind  what  explanation  could  be  more 
>ari>factory  than  that  two  distinct  selves,  as  it  were,  composed 


11 

his  being  (  While  one  self  was  reclining  before  the  fire,  the 
other  self  had  been  engaged  in  its  daily  pursuits.  In  what 
other  view,  with  this  in  consideration,  could  he  look  upon  death 
than  the  departure  of  this  same  mysterious  self  from  its  joint 
companion?  Since  after  sleep  these  two  elements  of  his  per- 
s on,  as  he  supposed,  were  once  more  united,  is  it  strange  there- 
fore that  he  should  look  upon  his  dead  companion  without  feel- 
ing impressed  with  the  certainty  that  this  other  self  which 
had  gone  to  the  happy  hunting  ground  should  return  to  his 
body  as  it  did  so  often  in  sleep?  This  was  the  vague  and 
indistinct  conception  which  forced  itself  upon  his  untrained 
intellect. 

Can  we  not  be  allowed  to  suppose  that  the  same  idea  was 
planted  in  the  mind  of  the  Italian  ?  Is  it  not  our  right  to  con- 
clude that  the  deep  veneration  in  which  they  held  the  shades 
of  their  ancestors  was  the  same  motive  that  actuated  the  savage 
to  look  with  such  respect  upon  the  dead  warrior?  In  the 
houses  and  dwellings  of  the  city  altars  were  erected  to  the 
memory  of  deceased  friends :  and  what  could  be  more  appropri- 
ate or  significant  than  that  the  family  hearth  should  symbolize 
a  shrine  and  pledge  of  family  devotion  to  the  dead  and  an  as- 
surance of  his  care  and  protection  ?  So  the  city  in  its  growth 
was  only  a  large  family  with  the  king  at  its  head,  and  with 
mutual  homage  did  they  adore  the  temple  of  Vesta,  the  hearth 
of  the  city,  and  the  sacred  fire  guarded  by  the  Vestal  virgins. 
This  then  let  us  consider  as  the  very  germ  and  beginning  of 
the  Roman  religion,  which  afterward  with  a  few  fables  of  their 
own  invention  was  so  blended  and  intermingled  with  Greek 
mythology  that  to  separate  the  two  is  impossible. 

This  exceedingly  limited  discussion  upon  the  regal  period  in 
the  history  of  the  city  in  which  we  have  engaged,  is  lacking 
the  deep  interest  and  intense  pleasure  with  which  we  would 
consider  the  nation's  further  prosperity  and  success.  Yes,  it 
would  be  our  delight  to  reflect  upon  the  lives  of  its  orators 
and  statesmen,  to  admire  the  glorious  achievements  of  its  gener- 


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12 

;il>,  to  dwell  upon  the  philosophy  of  that  religion  which  \\as 
the  guide  of  tlio  aged  Cato,  and  to  discuss  the  gods  of  the 
Pantheon  whose  praise  is  the  song  of  the  Kpie  poet. 

Perhaps  it  may  \K'  curiosity  alone  which  makes  the  dark 
ages  that  history  fails  to  record  seem  so  attractive  to  their  stu- 
dent, the  same  fascination  perchance  which  induces  us  to  gaxe 
with  wonder  and  delight  upon  the  hieroglyphics  of  Egypt  and 
seek  with  eager  minds  the  story  that  they  tell. 

But  a  far  higher  motive  than  one  of  careless  curiosity  or  of 
even  mere  intellectual  culture,  however  noble  may  he  its  aim, 
will  I,  in  closing,  place  before  you  for  your  reflection.  It  is  that 
in  comparing  the  present  and  the  past  we  shall  appreciate  with 
a  greater  sense  of  gratitude  the  inestimable  blessings  of  our 
own  age.  Think  how  no  tradition  with  a  feeble  and  pal- 
sied hand  shall  picture  to  coming  generations  their  nation's 
history,  but  with  glowing  and  impassioned  souls  they  will  read 
in  implicit  faith  the  story  of  Concord  and  Bunker  Hill,  and 
with  deepening  interest  view  their  country's  progress  and  ad- 
vancement. 

Let  us  then  be  filled  witli  praise  and  gratefulness  to  Divine 
Providence  that  it  is  ours  to  reap  the  high  attainments  of  learn- 
ing and  science,  to  appreciate  the  benefits  of  an  advanced  age. 
to  profit  by  the  privileges  of  a  free  constitution,  and  to  enjoy 
the  ineffable  blessings  of  Christian  religion.  Finally  then  let  us 
with  hearts  filled  with  patriotic  devotion  commend  our  own 
land,  our  common  country,  to  the  fostering  care  of  a  Divine 
Benignity. 


